How to Reduce Your Cat’s Interest in Scratching Furniture
To understand how to lower your cat’s desire to scratch furniture, let’s first talk about the motivations behind their scratching behavior.
It’s quite simple, really. There are three main categories: they either scratch to sharpen their claws, mark territory, or simply stretch their muscles.
Research also suggests that scratching serves as an emotional release for cats, helping them switch moods.
For instance, when a cat feels anxious, happy, excited, or frustrated, it may turn to scratching to alleviate those feelings. That’s why cats with separation anxiety are more likely to wreak havoc at home.
Since scratching is a natural behavior for cats and contributes to their overall well-being, it’s quite a challenge to stop them from scratching altogether.
However, there are ways to guide this instinctual behavior or minimize the damage it causes to furniture.
- Use Vocal Cues to Guide Your Cat
Although cats may not understand what you’re saying, they are very sensitive to changes in your tone of voice.Influencing your cat’s scratching behavior with your tone and demeanor and guiding them towards a scratching post is a viable method.For example, when your cat approaches furniture and starts scratching, you can use a different tone than usual to say “No~”.Conversely, when it uses the scratching post, you can encourage or reward it, reinforcing that it’s doing something “good”.However, it’s important to note that this influence emphasizes the “here and now”. It’s effective only when you intervene while the cat is scratching or about to scratch the furniture. If you scold it after it’s done scratching, the cat won’t connect the two events, and the criticism might only deepen its anxiety and distrust.
- Help Your Cat Love the Scratching PostThere should be at least one scratching post or cat tree in your home that your cat can use. Without one, it’s not fair to expect your cat not to scratch the furniture.When guiding your cat to use the scratching post, don’t force it. After all, cats are known for being stubborn creatures and dislike being coerced into anything.There’s a suggestion floating around about holding a cat’s paw and moving it back and forth on the scratching post to teach the cat to use it. Well, that’s highly unlikely to succeed and could even result in a scratch.For cats, their paws are vital for survival. They rely on their agile paws for sudden sprints and leaps.Therefore, most cats don’t like having their paws touched, let alone being held by someone, which can make them very scared and insecure.Trying to teach a cat to use a scratching post in this manner could backfire. It might associate negative emotions with the scratching post and avoid it altogether next time.To encourage your cat to use the scratching post, you can sprinkle some treats on it or sprinkle a bit of catnip. When it uses the scratching post, give it a reward.Be patient and take it slow; your cat might naturally come to love the scratching post.
- Spend More Time Playing with Your CatSometimes, cats scratch furniture just for fun. In such cases, spending more time playing with your cat to distract it and drain its energy can reduce its interest in scratching furniture.Dedicate thirty minutes to an hour each day to play with your cat using a feather wand or toy ball. This can decrease the frequency of your cat scratching furniture.After all, who needs furniture when you have a human playmate?
- Regularly Trim Their ClawsPart of the reason cats scratch is to keep their claws comfortable.Therefore, regularly trimming your cat’s claws can reduce their tendency to scratch furniture and lessen the damage to it.At the same time, avoid accidentally turning into a human scratching post while playing with your cat.
- Cover Your FurnitureIf your cat is determined to engage in a battle of wills with your furniture, you may have to resort to passive defense measures.Cover your furniture with protective covers or spray them with a lemon-scented deterrent to reduce your cat’s interest in them.Generally, cats have specific spots they prefer to scratch, so protecting these areas should suffice.For sofas, you can use scratch guards or sofa covers.Some crafty cat owners have even sewn homemade scratching posts onto areas of their sofas that have been scratched by their cats. If you’re handy with a needle and thread, you might want to give it a try.As for cat repellents, those produced by reputable manufacturers are harmless to cats. They work by emitting scents like citrus or lemon that cats dislike, driving them away.Cat owners can dip a cloth in diluted disinfectant and wipe their furniture, then spray cat repellent on these pieces from time to time.Gradually, the furniture will take on the scent of citrus or lemon, and the cat will lose interest in it.
What Kind of Scratching Post is More Reliable?
In a cat’s mind, there isn’t much difference between a scratching post and furniture.
If your cat has already developed a penchant for scratching furniture, getting it to “fall in love” with a scratching post can be quite challenging. Therefore, choosing an enticing scratching post is crucial!!
What Material Do Cats Like for Scratching Posts?
Cats prefer scratching posts or poles made of materials that are rough like tree bark, with a moderate level of softness and hardness, rather than being too soft or fluffy.
Otherwise, cats might easily ingest the pulled-out fur or get their claws caught in threads.
Overall, sisal is the most suitable material for scratching posts. Its rough texture allows cats to use their claws effectively.
Actually, if you have spare cardboard and don’t mind the mess of scattered bits, homemade corrugated cardboard scratching posts can also provide lots of fun for cats.
How to Choose the Angle and Height of a Scratching Post?
Each cat has different habits when it comes to scratching, digging, and tearing. Some cats like to scratch while lying down, while others prefer standing up.
Before buying a scratching post, observe your cat’s habits. It’s best to prepare several different types of scratching posts for your cat.
If it likes scratching while lying down, you can buy a scratching post that lies flat on the floor.
Note that the size should be large enough for the cat to lie on it completely, so it can exert force comfortably without being rejected by the cat king due to its small size.
If it likes scratching while standing up, then the height of the scratching post should be at least as tall as the cat standing on its hind legs, so the cat can stretch its back comfortably.
However, it shouldn’t be too high to prevent the cat from getting injured when jumping down.
Furthermore, regardless of the type of scratching post or pole, it should be stable and sturdy to prevent severe shaking when the cat scratches.
Where to Place a Cat Scratching Post?
Cats prefer to scratch in prominent areas. If you place the scratching post in an inconspicuous corner, they will naturally choose more noticeable sofas or chairs.
Position the scratching post in a prominent location in the room or along the regular paths your cat walks.
If your cat has developed a habit of scratching furniture, place the scratching post next to the furniture it likes to scratch to attract it to shift its focus and change its scratching target.
If your cat has a particular fondness for someone in the house, you can also place the scratching post near the sofa or chair where that person usually sits, which will be attractive to the cat.
Finally, it’s neither possible nor realistic to completely suppress a cat’s natural instinct to scratch, even with a cat with four declawed paws.
Some cat owners, frustrated by their furniture being scratched, might excessively punish their cats or even opt for declawing surgery, which involves removing the bone at the very front of a cat’s toes, preventing the claws from regrowing.
These actions undoubtedly cruelly suppress a cat’s natural instincts.
Cats, being curious creatures akin to babies in their lack of behavioral control, rely on instinct for guidance. Managing them requires carefulness, patience, and proper guidance.
With the right guidance from their owners and appropriate auxiliary tools, the likelihood of cats damaging furniture can be significantly reduced.